DESCRIPTION (from abstract): The Institute on Aging (IOA) of the UNC-CH proposes to develop an Institutional National Research Service Award (NRSA) training program offering advanced research training and directed research experience to qualified predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows from multiple aging-related disciplines in the area of health care and aging research. The thematic emphasis on health care and aging research, one of the most salient clusters of issues facing American older adults in the new millennium, is derived from the widely acknowledged leadership of UNC faculty in these areas of scholarly and educational endeavor. The special strengths of this proposed training program include the ability to study the problems of older adults living in rural communities, particularly involving communities of minority elders; and the strong commitment and track record of UNC-CH in the areas of health services research and health promotion/disease prevention. The overall goal of the predoctoral training program is to provide an aging-related focus in health and health care utilization to augment disciplinary training in theory analysis; research design and measurement; and data analysis and presentation. The postdoctoral training program will prepare a fellow with the skills to conduct complex studies of health and healthcare in aging issues or problems requiring an interdisciplinary perspective, sophisticated analytic techniques, or novel conceptualizations. Ample opportunities will be provided for trainees to participate in combined educational and interdisciplinary experiences with the Proseminar series serving as the heart of training program.